Pelargonium plant named &#39;swevioimp&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Swevioimp’, characterized by its upright and uniformly rounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; medium green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; red purple and red bi-colored semi-double flowers that are held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SWEVIOIMP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of ZonalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Swevioimp’. The new ZonalGeranium plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding programis to develop new uniform and early-flowering Zonal Geranium plants withmedium green-colored leaves and numerous attractive bi-colored flowers.

The new Zonal Geranium plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor of two unidentified proprietary selections of Pelargonium xhortorum, not patented, during the summer of 2016. Seed was collectedfrom a number of potential parent plants, combined and sown. The newZonal Geranium plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated masscross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany during the summer of 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Zonal Geranium plant by vegetativeterminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden,Germany since January, 2018 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Zonal Geranium plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have not been observed under allpossible combinations of environmental conditions and culturalpractices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations inenvironmental conditions such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Swevioimp’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Swevioimp’ as a new and distinct Zonal Geraniumplant:

-   -   1. Upright and uniformly rounded plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Medium green-colored leaves.    -   5. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   6. Red purple and red bi-colored semi-double flowers that are        held above the foliar plane on strong peduncles.

Plants of the new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of thePelargonium x hortorum ‘Swevio’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. number17,386. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Zonal Geraniumdiffer from plants of ‘Swevio’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are larger and more vigorous        than plants of ‘Swevio’.    -   2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more freely branching        than plants of ‘Swevio’.    -   3 Leaves of plants of the new Zonal Geranium are larger than        leaves of plants of ‘Swevio’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Zonal Geranium plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Zonal Geranium plant. The photograph is a sideperspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Swevioimp’ grown in acontainer.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 19-cm containers during the spring,summer and autumn in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden, Germany andunder cultural practices typical of commercial Zonal Geraniumproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levelsranged from 15 klux to 100 klux. Plants were four months old when thephotograph was taken and nine months old when the detailed descriptionwas taken. In the following detailed description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium x hortorum ‘Swevioimp’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection of            Pelargonium x hortorum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and uniformly rounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; densely foliated; vigorous growth            habit and rapid growth rate; freely basal branching habit            with about seven primary lateral branches each with about            two secondary lateral branches developing per plant;            pinching is typically not required.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 25 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of floral plane.—About 33 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and            luster: Densely pubescent; semi-glossy. Color, developing:            Close to 144A. Color, developed: Close to 146B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 5.3 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Rounded; roughly reniform.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cordate, open.        -   Margin.—Crenate with shallow and divergent indentations.        -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Pubescent, rough;            coriaceous; matte.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent; coriaceous;            semi-glossy.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A; no discernible            zonation pattern. Developing and fully expanded leaves,            lower surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to 146D.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 6.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent;            rough; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Semi-double flowers            arranged in roughly hemispherical umbels arising from apical            leaf axils; umbels displayed above the foliar plane on            strong peduncles; flowers face mostly upright to outwardly            depending on position in the umbel; freely flowering habit            with about ten open flowers per umbel and numerous umbels            developing per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants begin            flowering about 80 days after planting; in the garden in            Germany, flowering begins in April and continues until frost            in the autumn.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about six to ten days on the            plant; umbels last about three to four weeks on the plant;            flowers persistent.        -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 9 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.2 cm by 5.2 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Pubescent; semi-glossy.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About seven; petals imbricate.            Length, upper petal: About 3 cm. Length, lower petal: About            2.9 cm. Width, upper petals: About 2.5 cm. Width, lower            petals: About 2.6 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and            luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy.            Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.            Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 74A; central blotch, close to 45A; towards the base,            close to 74C to 74D; venation, close to 45A; color does not            change with subsequent development. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: Close to 74C; venation, close to 66A;            color becoming closer to 74D with subsequent development.        -   Petaloids.—To date, petaloid development has not been            observed on plants of the new Pelargonium.        -   Sepals.—Calyx length: About 1.2 cm. Calyx diameter: About            1.6 cm. Quantity per flower: Five arranged in a single            whorl; not fused. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 3 mm to            4 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Glabrous;            glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Pubescent;            glossy. Color, when developing, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 144A. Color, fully developed, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles (umbel stems).—Length: About 13 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly upright to            slightly outwardly. Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Pedicels (individual flower stems).—Length: About 3 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Moderately strong; flexible.            Texture and luster: Pubescent; glossy. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About eleven. Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color:            Close to 57C; towards the base, close to 155D. Anther size:            About 1 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Tubular. Anther color:            Close to 57C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Close            to 169C. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil            length: About 7 mm. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm. Stigma            shape: Five or six-parted. Stigma color: Close to 58B. Style            length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 48A. Ovary color:            Close to 148B. Seeds and fruits: To date, seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Zonal Geranium.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Zonal    Geranium have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and    pests common to Zonal Geranium plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 0.5° C. to    about 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Zonal Geranium plant named‘Swevioimp’ as illustrated and described.